Why is the Child or Young Person having an annual (yearly) review?

The child or young person currently has an Education, Health and Care plan (EHCP). This document outlines what they hope to be able to do in the future and what support they might need to do this.

A year is a long time, and in that time they may have developed new ideas about what they want to achieve in the future. Their support needs may also have changed. So it is important that the child or young person and those people around them review their plan to make sure that it is still working and change anything that doesn’t work.

What questions will be asked?

This is a chance for the child or young person to say what they like about the support they get now and how they think it needs to change.

The child or young person will be asked to think about their hopes for the future and what they may need to help them to achieve your goals.

Who can come to the annual review?

There are a few people that must be at this meeting and then it is up to the child or young person who else to invite.

This will include:

• If they are under 16 their parent/s or carer/s will be invited. If the young person is over 16 they can choose if they want them there.
• They will need someone from your educational setting. This is often the head teacher or the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities co-ordinator. This person will be responsible for organising and running the annual review.

They might also invite:

• Careers advisor
• Their teacher or tutor
• Anyone else who they think might support them with their education or journey towards adulthood

Who will be in charge of the meeting?

The meeting is about the child or young person and what their goals are and what support they want.

They will be supported by everyone else there and they will know what things need to be included and discussed as part of the review.

Preparing for adulthood

The annual review will include discussions about how the child or young person can prepare for adulthood.

The themes will be:

• Education and employment
• Living as independently as possible
• Your health and well-being
• Friends, relationships and being involved with the community

Is there anything the child or young person can do before the meeting? 

The child or young person can think about the following:

• What is important to me?
• What is working well?
• What is not working well? 
• What am I good at? 
• What do I find difficult? 
• What do I want to achieve? 
• What are my hopes and wishes for the future?
• How do I like to be supported? 
• What do people like and admire about me? 

It is a good idea to write these answers down and include a list of the things they like or dislike about their support. It is important that the don't let anyone stop them from sharing their views, the annual review is about them and their views.